Newsletter -Mon 13 Nov, 2023

In this issue

- The borough’s three park cafes, currently vacant, are now expected to be up and running with their new tenants in January/February 2024. The Harlequin team have however opened up the Memorial Park cafe in Redhill on an interim basis. In Priory Park, it looks like rumours of a national chain taking the site are wide of the mark.

- A 30mph limit is being suggested outside Earlswood Lakes, down from the current 40mph. A consultation is running.

- The Lib Dems have announced that local resident Mark Johnston will be their candidate at the next general election.

- Construction is expected to start this year on traffic calming measures in Gatton Park Road.

Other news

- The Pub in the Park food and music festival is returning to Priory Park next year, Friday 12 - Sunday 14 July 2024. Details here (Opens in a new window).

- The Harlequin’s closure because of RAAC, and the creation of a ‘big top’ in Memorial Park for the Christmas panto, appear in a recent Guardian article (Opens in a new window). The piece looks at how theatres around the country are having to find alternative venues ahead of the financially significant festive season.

- The plan to close station ticket offices has been abandoned (Opens in a new window) after a Government u-turn. As previously reported (Opens in a new window), Reigate would have lost its ticket office under the plans, but the station would have been staffed for far more hours than is currently the case.

- Anyone wanting the chance to win a £50 voucher has until 10am today, Monday, to tell the borough council (Opens in a new window) what they think of the Rise, its development in Redhill that’s home to the Light cinema.

- Plans to axe one-day London travelcards have been dropped (Opens in a new window), sparing local travellers increased fares on some day-trips.

A correction

- The previous edition said that the founder of the petition (Opens in a new window) to bring back CCTV in borough town centres, Liam Castles, was a former candidate in borough elections when he is in fact a prospective candidate (for Labour, in South Park and Woodhatch) at the elections in 2024. The online version of the piece has been corrected.

Park cafes now expected to reopen in early 2024

• Under refurbishment: Priory Park’s pavilion and temporary kiosk

The vacant cafes in Priory Park, Memorial Park and Lady Neville Recreation Ground are expected to be be up and running with their new tenants early next year.

A borough council officer told Reigate & Banstead’s overview & scrutiny committee on 12 October (Opens in a new window) that all three park cafes now have signed heads of terms, and that the council was “working towards getting the tenant’s leases sorted out”.

Allowing for tenants’ fit-outs, “We are aiming for January, February, hopefully, all going well, for them to be fully occupied and trading,” the officer said.